


Daffodils in Bloom

by sweethoneypetal



Category: the GazettE (Band)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Fem!Reita, Fem!Uruha, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers, Gay, Gay Sex, Genderswap, Lesbian, Lesbian Sex, Love Triangles, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-19 05:28:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19968775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweethoneypetal/pseuds/sweethoneypetal
Summary: Akira has been caring for Kouyou since they were children. But now, Akira's sentiments have developed into her first love, a love she can never speak aloud. Men, marriage, and money stand in her way- that is, until one day, when Kouyou's own sentiments are revealed.





	Daffodils in Bloom

France, 1630s

The mating call of the summer cicadas rung through the sweltering night air. Open windows invited the slightest hint of the evening breeze, as well as the continuous chirp of the lonely insects. A nursemaid approached the windowsill, intending on snuffing out the sound when her mistress interrupted her actions.

"Leave it. I don't mind." She said, lazily lifting her arm from her tub, letting the cool breeze reach her.

"Yes, miss." She nodded, returning by her side, watching as the lady soaked in her cooling bath, rosewater added for fragrance and to enhance the softness of her skin. The way she lay so carelessly, long hair curling and floating amongst the rose petals, reminded Akira of women of Ancient Greece. How easily and openly they showed their apathy, their desires, and their sensuality... As though the women knew what you saw, and knew what you thought of it, but paid you no mind.

"Comb my hair?" Her lady interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes, miss." She said, somewhat flustered by her own thoughts and attempting to focus on her task. She took the golden hair into her hands, gently beginning to comb through, as her mistress closed her eyes once again. While she worked delicately with the wooden comb, she allowed herself to gaze at those closed eyes. Almost by habit, her eyes swept over her, looking at her long lashes, soft lips, pale neck, and just below that, at the flush of her breasts... How she yearned to drop her comb and simply reach out. Touch her with both intent and affection, to finally grab hold of what she yearned for. And yet, as was also her habit, she restrained herself and kept her touch innocent.

"There." She said once the hair was once again untangled and soft to the touch.

"Thank you. I feel rather tired." The mistress sighed softly.

"Let's get you to bed." Akira nodded, offering her hand and watching as she stepped out of the bathtub, gazing at the water droplets that indiscriminately rolled down every curve of her pale body. If only she could not be human, if only she could be reborn as the water that caressed her mistress like a careless lover...

Lifting her gaze to avoid staring at her body for much longer, Akira quietly towel-dried her mistress before helping her slide into her chemise de nuit, equally as quiet as she tied the thin silk chord above her breasts.

"Goodnight, Akira." She said as she sunk beneath her sheets, golden hair weighing down her feather pillows.

"Goodnight, Miss Kouyou," Akira said softly as she escaped her mistress' gaze by slipping into the closet that was her bedroom. Just a few steps away from Kouyou's bed.

She let herself fall onto the bed that was barely as big as she was tall, gazing at the bare four walls of her sanctuary. From the other side of her door, she could hear the mistress' soft and even breathing. "Idiot." She whispered to herself. "Lustful... sinful... stupid." She tucked her knees under her chin, repeating insults to herself as though they were prayers on rosary beads.

Eventually, Akira hugged her legs, her words growing softer and fainter. "...Foolish." She ended her prayer, eyes closing in a tired sadness. Instead, in her quiet solitude, she listened to the cicada's cries, while her mistress slept soundly, unaware of her servant's tormented heart.

***********

Every summer the Takashimas would travel south to escape Paris. Indeed, they made certain to leave by May before the summer sun could bake the horse dung and other filth, filling the city with an ungodly stench. They travelled several days by carriage to Lyon, where they always made a brief stop to rest and visit friends. From there, they would continue further south before they reached their country estate. Located to the east of the nearby village of Saint-Étienne, the estate was a simple stone manor from the medieval period that had been refurbished by Lord Takashima's grandfather. It was a peaceful and quiet place with flower gardens in the front and countless acres of forest behind it, perfect for the hunt.

The past couple of years, however, the estate had been even quieter. Indeed, since the marriages of Kouyou's two older sisters, they had yet to return to the countryside for a visit. Not only this, but Lady Takashima had also failed to accompany for their yearly visit. Instead, she would make the trip to Lyon with her husband and youngest daughter, before claiming to be too unwell to continue with their travels. So, as she had for the past several years, she remained in Lyon with her friends, most of whom threw excellent parties all season long.

This year was no different. Only Kouyou and her father made the entire trip to Saint-Étienne. Even so, her father was no great company. Indeed, when he wasn't busy collecting taxes from the local peasants, he was out hunting with his favourite companions- his dogs. The young mistress was thus left alone throughout her stay, the servants being her only company. Still, she found ways of occupying herself and to a certain degree even enjoyed the limited company.

That morning, she had taken to sketching out in the gardens under the shade of her favourite apple tree. Akira was by her side, working on mending her mistress' torn stockings. Despite the task that sat in her lap, she could not help but gaze at Kouyou from time to time, watching her work with the red chalk on her thick sheet of paper. The dress she wore today had always been a favourite of Akira's- the red of the silk contrasted beautifully with Kouyou's pale yet flushed complexion. Her white chemise peaked out of the edges of her long sleeves as well as her bust, which barely hid the soft shape of her breasts, pale and rising with every breath.

"Do you think him handsome?" Kouyou asked suddenly, forcing Akira to tear her gaze away from her skin.

"Who?" She asked, before realizing what it was that the mistress was drawing. A good distance away from the young women were the stables, where Yutaka, their chauffeur and stable-boy, was busy piling hay for the horses. Akira watched his strong form move easily, a gentle smile forming as the horses accepted the food offered by him. "Good girl." He said, affectionately stroking the animal's muzzle. 

Akira gazed back at Kouyou's sketch- in it, he was strong, dark, and handsome, eyes on the animal he cared for. She wished Kouyou would look at her like that, draw her like that... "I wouldn't know." The nursemaid answered a little coldly.

"I heard some of the maids in the kitchens call him that," Kouyou said soberly, eyes returning to her sketch to focus on the shading.

"...Do you think him handsome?" Akira eventually took the risk and asked the question whose answer she dreaded hearing.

Kouyou looked up from her sketch, before smiling at her maid. "I wouldn't know." She mused, a teasing light in her eyes.

Akira simply nodded, going back to her mending. She didn't bring it back up again.

***********

Yutaka. That's all Akira could think of. It was not that she had any desire for the man. Rather, now she worried that her mistress desired him and if it was the case, she needed to know why. What was it that she liked- beyond the fact that he was what she could never be- a man. Perhaps it was his strength, perhaps it was the way he smiled or the fact that he was a brunet. Did Kouyou not care for blondes like her? This was something else she could not change. No, rather than see the physical, something so close to being irreversible, she wished to consider his character to better understand what Kouyou liked about it. This way, she could attempt to emulate it. Certainly, it felt desperate and foolish, but, hadn't she always been? She feared that if left unresolved after so many years, the love she held would finally consume her, harm her, entirely. She had to do something, even if it meant learning that the young mistress loved another- at least that would be some sort of closure, some sort of resolution to her silent adoration. No matter how painful, she needed an end to it all.

Finally, a few nights after the incident in the gardens, Akira gathered the courage to pay Yutaka a visit. In truth, she did not know much about the young man other than the fact that his father had once been employed by the Takashima family as well. They had worked in the same household together for several years, but they did not interact much beyond niceties and the relaying of commands from the family. They were, at best, familiar strangers.

A little nervously, Akira hugged the shawl that was around her shoulders as she stepped inside of the stables. There she saw Yutaka busy caring for a horse's mane, combing it as he spoke to the animal softly. He paused once he realized someone had approached him. He turned, thin lips forming into a dimpled smile once he saw who it was. "Evening, Miss Akira." He set the brush down. "Can I help you with something?"

Her shoulders stiffened as she tugged at the trim of her shawl, treating it like it was her armour. "Yes, actually." She said decisively. "We need to talk about something."

"Oh? Alright. Let's talk." He smiled curiously, having a seat on a nearby stool.

"Now... I do not know what your intentions are, but I do not condone them," she began rather firmly. "We are in service of the Takashima family, and part of that service simply involves respect. So we must respect our employers and-"

"Forgive me, but I'm not certain I understand what you're referring to." Yutaka smiled confusedly.

Akira blushed in shame. She wasn't making much sense, was she? Lecturing him about respect when she herself didn't have the decency to respect Kouyou and not stare and imagine-

"Is there something going on that I'm not aware of?" He asked.

It shouldn't have, but his concern annoyed her. "I believe you are a kind and honourable man, Mr. Yutaka. Which is why I hope that you will not take advantage of the fact that it seems as though the mistress has taken a liking to you." She said coldly, trying to understand why she was so upset with this man.

"The mistress-?" He asked in surprise, before doing something that absolutely shocked Akira- he began to laugh. "You are very sweet Miss Akira for trying to protect Mistress Kouyou's heart. But you must not worry, I have no intention of taking advantage of anyone, especially the young miss."

Akira blushed softly, embarrassed by her assumptions. Was this why Kouyou liked him? He did, in fact, seem genuine in his assertions... "Thank you... I don't want the Miss to be hurt in any way... it's possible that I'm acting rashly and that I may have misunderstood her sentiments..." Akira said beginning to doubt her thoughts of the past few days.

"Rash or not, I can tell that you care about her... I'm glad the young mistress has such selfless companionship." Yutaka smiled, his single dimple returning. Selfless did not feel like the correct word to Akira...

"I apologize for the accusations." She said sheepishly, looking over his expression. He smiled so easily, it almost unnerved her.

"I take no offence." He assured her with a soft chuckle. "You need not worry about me, my eyes are on a very different young miss."

Was he teasing her? She did not care to find out. "Goodnight, Mr. Yutaka." She said, quickly leaving the stables before he could reply. She clutched onto her shawl with tight fists, her heart pounding.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: After spending a year on my thesis, I am ready to go back to writing for pleasure. I've never done a genderbend/lesbian romance, please let me know what you think!


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